Country Music Blog: Buddy Miller

Got my copy of the last issue of No Depression magazine in the mail a few days ago and I'm stretching out the reading to make it last longer. I hate seeing magazines go under. Especially good music magazines. There haven't been many of them and I treasure the ones that have made the world a better place for their readers and the singers and musicians they write about.And No Depression was one of those. Never flashy, never shallow, No Depression has been serious about the music, without being deadly, if you know what I mean. The last issue before me on my desk has Buddy Miller on the cover, and that's a very fitting choice. Miller is a musician's musician, a singer's friend, a thrilling guitarist, a solid songwriter and singer, and just plain a good guy to hang out with.

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If you thought the line for Hannah Montana concert tickets was long, wait until April 6. That's the day of the open casting call for extras who want to play a part in the Hannah Montana movie.

Replicated right down to the tin of baby powder, Dolly Parton's one-room cabin of a childhood home is on display in Dollywood, and now on this blog.

Alt-country fans, take note. Shout! Factory has acquired the catalog of HighTone Records, once home to Buddy Miller and Dale Watson.

See the Dancing With the Stars team of Julianne Hough and funnyman Adam Corolla interview each other in this clip from The Insider.

And if you really like reality TV, set your DVRs for Wednesday night when Dolly Parton takes the stage on American Idol, as well as former finalist Phil Stacey.

If you've been waiting for new music from Lee Ann Womack, get comfortable because it's probably going to be a while. Last I heard, she wasn't happy with the album she turned in, so it was back to the drawing board. Luckily, I have never gotten tired of There's More Where That Came From, which won a CMA Award in 2005. But, as the title suggested, wasn't there supposed to be more where that came from? I do have a short-term fix - Some Things I Know, her outstanding 1998 album.

Ten years ago, the shy Texan was riding a wave of high-profile endorsements from George Strait and Alan Jackson, and was considered a torchbearer for traditional country music. I love the fiddles on the title track, which begins the album, and when Vince Gill comes in on harmony, it's bliss. Buddy and Julie Miller contributed harmony vocals on a song they wrote, "Don't Tell Me," and it's one of the saddest songs they've written. (With their incredible catalog, that's saying something.) Joe Diffie, ex-husband Jason Sellers, Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White lend their voices to the album too.

"I'll Think of a Reason Later" and "A Little Past Little Rock" did well at country radio, but after she scored a smash hit with "I Hope You Dance," she temporarily headed in a new direction. I liked the I Hope You Dance album, as well as "Blame It on Me" from the follow-up disc, but I really fell apart when I heard There's More Where That Came From for the first time. Seriously, I played it over and over at the office, and luckily my co-worker one desk over was just as obsessed as I was. We enthusiastically analyzed it inside out, and I still proudly display my vinyl copy above my desk. I can't wait to hear the new music, but at least I have a few albums to hold me over in the meantime.

There’s not much going on in country music this week, so I’m living in the past – flipping through a stack of stories I wrote this year for CMT.com. No wonder I am ready for a long winter’s nap.

I take it for granted sometimes, but I confess that it’s pretty neat to visit with musicians I admire, like Dierks Bentley and Trisha Yearwood. You have to be smart to make it in this business, so if you come at them with the right questions, country singers almost always rise to the occasion. I also enjoyed chatting on the phone with Patty Griffin, Merle Haggard and Emmylou Harris – who wouldn’t?

Awards shows get to be kind of routine (and dull) for music reporters, but sometimes an artist will deliver a great performance that you can’t get out of your head. That happened to me at the Americana Honors, when Buddy Miller sang this new song by his wife Julie. Months later, I am still obsessed with this song, which doesn’t even have a name. Nevertheless, it’s stuck in my head, and I’m OK with that.

So, where have I been? First was Keith Urban in Chicago. Then SXSW in Austin and the ACMs in Las Vegas. I saw Brad Paisley check Chattanooga for "Ticks." On a trip to Virginia Beach, I reviewed Alan Jackson/Brooks & Dunn, along with an Alison Krauss/Tony Rice concert in North Carolina that same weekend. Bonnaroo was a trip, so to speak. Wynonna sang in Atlanta, Sugarland in South Carolina and Garth Brooks in Kansas City. I also kicked back in some cool bars, including Station Inn, Mean Eyed Cat, Gruene Hall, Carol’s Pub and the Longbranch Saloon. After running in my first Hood to Coast relay, I spent nearly two weeks in Oregon on vacation, checking out the breweries. So beautiful. Can’t wait to get back there.

On the personal side, I conquered my first official marathon (26.2 miles) this year in Louisville, Ky., as well as the 100-mile 3-State-3-Mountain Challenge bike ride and the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon. With fitness on the brain almost all year long, I inevitably found myself asking artists about staying in shape. To read those stories, and many others, visit our new CMT Lifestyles Blog.

May 2008 be your best year ever!

What a week! I have been in Nashville for about 12 days. We have the CMA parties tonight, and then I'm on the plane and back in Texas by 3 tomorrow. Mexican food, here I come. Hehehe!!

Seriously, though, I have had such a great time. I played the Ryman Auditorium TWICE in a 48-hour period. That was a breathtaking experience. We played at the Americana Music Honors on Thursday night and at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday! The AMA show had so many people on the bill that I had "back"-stage fright. As I was getting ready to go on, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs and Rodney Crowell were standing right beside me. I got to hang with some of my old friends that I haven't seen in a while and I got the ultimate chance to gherm too. The girls from Uncle Earl and my Memphis friend, Amy Lavere, were all there.... Gurf Morlix, Bruce Hornsby, Old Crow Medicine Show, Todd Snider, Patty Griffin, Jim Lauderdale, The Greencards, Darrell Scott, Elizabeth Cook, Tim Carroll, Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, Verlon Thompson and Guy Clark, and the list goes on…. Buddy Miller, one of the best songwriters, singers, and guitar players in the world played guitar and sang harmonies with me. I KNOW!! It was totally awesome! Here are some photos from the ceremony.

There were showcases all over town, and some of the shows I've seen a million times, but with others, I was completely blown away! There's a guy that plays bass with Shooter Jennings named Ted Russell Kamp. He's ROCK AND ROLL, baby!! Anyone that knows me knows that I pretty much only listen to country, but I got every CD he has made, and was sitting there with my jaw on the floor during his entire set. He was unbelievable!

This has been a long, long week, but it's been a great time!! Saturday night, on the Opry (yes, as in the Grand Ole), I was singing an old country song, and I look over and Vince Gill is in the wings on stage left, looking at me, and Ralph Stanley was in the wings on stage right. Talk about nervous. I was about to DIE! They turned the whole performance into a Porter Wagoner tribute, so at the end of the show, everyone (Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Patty Loveless) went out on stage and sang "Go Rest High on that Mountain" for Porter. It was a beautiful sight and sound. I had chill bumps pretty much the entire night!

I’m sending out good wishes to my labelmate, Taylor Swift for tonight's CMA awards show! She's nominated for the Horizon Award, and I'm betting zero to nothing that she's taking home the grand prize. GO GIRL!

Guacamole and queso are calling my name!!